‘lt’s not just a sack’

Press, 6 October 1987, Page 27

‘lt’s not just a sack’

By

DEBORAH MCPHERSON

AN OLD SACK does not immediately spring to mind as a high fashion

garment, but two imaginative Canterbury people are making sure the fabric’s low profile is emerging out of the ashes and onto the catwalk. The common hessian or jute sack has been codesigned in the form of $4OO jackets by a Oiristchurch fabric artist Kathy Kerr, and a Rangiora woodturner and earthenware manufacturer, Paul Sanderson.

Mr Sanderson, of Sanderson Design Studios, first thought of the unlikely concept of making clothes from hessian after discovering a pile of sacks languishing on the dirt floor of an old flour

' mill into which he had shifted his wpodturning and pottery business. He then approached Ms Kerr, who had a stall at the Arts Centre Market for her felt and leather appliqued jackets. She agreed to codesign and make the jackets, which show little resemblance to their humble origins once lined with cotton and appliqued with leather.

During the winter months, several of the jackets were snatched up by tourists and even by students “spending their bursary,” says Mr Sanderson. The idea of recycling old

sacks appealed to his philosophy of concerving and reusing what is often thrown away. “Sacking has a heavy texture and is perfect for certain fashion garments, particularly jackets,” he says. Sorting, washing, brushing, and dying the old wool bails or grain sacks takes several hours. The sacking must not be too worn, or have words on it, although Mr Sanderson reckons the words could be left on to good effect, once the new fabric is more readily accepted. Is $4OO not a little out-

rageous to pay for an qld sack? “But it’s no longer just a sack, it’s a high fashion garment,” enthuses Ms Kerr. She believes it is eye-ap-peal that sells clothes, whatever the fabric. Mr Sanderson asks, “what is in a price after a|l?” “I think the price reflects individuality, rather than the production line. There is a lot of input into the garments by the creators.” Pierre Cardin has not yet indicated an interest in taking over the sackcloth industry, although Mr Sanderson admits he is curious what the French fashion mogul would think of this Antipodean .trend.